Richard's POV
My curiosity had me searching for every tiniest bit of information about Bella Portillo and so far, I haven't been able to conclude if she is indeed my ex-wife or someone else.
She started Eagles Home online three years ago while in the University with no employee but herself and now, she has several employees and two different branches in London and Norway.
The new branch in New York would make it the third.
“Mr Portillo?” The guy beside her turns to her in confusion, his anger from early on slowly dissolving.
She shifts uncomfortably before grabbing his hands and flashing me one of her joyless smiles. “Good day to you too, Mr. Giodano.”
I nod at her with a smile, impressed by her acting skills. Whenever she is around me, I am fully convinced she is Arabel. The clumsy side of her is still present. The way she avoids eye contact with me and the way she looks mad for a second and good another second makes it all the more plausible.
Aside from that, this guy is obviously not into acting. He probably has no idea about her decision to pretend to be someone else to me because of what we had in the past.
I wouldn't fail at recognizing the woman I married out of convenience. She might look totally different; more sophisticated and classy but her cat-eye is still the same.
It makes her look more sexy especially when she bats her eyelid severally at me in an attempt to avoid my gaze.
How can I forget the body of the woman I spent a night with just a few weeks before our divorce?
That one night refused to leave my head even with her absence. Eve's betrayal was like an eye-opener. It made me realize my loss. I had gold but I was in search of diamonds. I lost that gold and I didn't get the diamond either.
Her absence made my heart grow more fonder of her. It made me value her; our times together and the little moment of happiness we both shared before Eve arrived.
I wanted to do everything to get her back, plead with her for forgiveness and start all over again all to no avail. She disappeared into thin air and off the radar.
And now she was back.
Not as my wife but as my partner.
My jaws grind at the sight of the two of them smiling at something I don't catch. When he touches her arm, I decide it is time to leave.
“I will see you in a jiffy then”, I mutter and head towards the entrance without waiting for a reply.
There is no denying that I am not feeling a tiny bit of jealousy and it makes me want to scold myself for the emotion. If she is married, I should let go of whatever had happened between us in the past.
But I know I can't.
The fact that she is back, very close to me makes me want to do everything I can to get her back. It's just so sad that she is married and having to chase a married woman is totally unethical unless they are not in love.
At the thought of that, I halt in my tracks.
Are they in love?
Obviously, they are. This man is a young smoking hot guy. He looks like guys who take modelling as a career or do advert promotions.
If my earliest assumptions about her being married to an old rich man were true, perhaps the idea of not being in love would have been possible.
But now, I don't even know.
If she doesn't love him, he would do everything to win her heart and the Arabel I know has a flexible heart.
A sigh leaves my mouth. Without looking back to see if they are following me since it is almost time for the meeting, I continue walking towards the elevator to take me up to my office.
It's a meeting between me, her and Ashley. Having him would be unprofessional so I guess she would have to spend a little time with him, hug him goodbye, and kiss his cheeks before heading up.
I grit my teeth in frustration.
I haven't been myself since I laid my eyes on her yesterday. My head has been spinning with a lot of unanswered questions about who she is now and what has changed totally about her. Arabel can pretend all she wants, I am 100% sure she is the one. I no longer need to give doubts about her being someone else a chance.
Perhaps, it is time for us to stop pretending not to know each other. She can continue for as long as she wants but I will ensure she confesses with her mouth.
I am done pretending not to know who she is.
I meet Ashley halfway.
“Good morning, boss”, she greets politely, stopping to walk behind me.
“Morning, Ashley”, I respond without stopping. I know I need to let go of Arabel's thoughts to concentrate on work today but I won't be able to do that without spilling what exactly is on my mind.
When I am done, then we can proceed to business. I can't have her right next to me and pretend.
“The contract has been prepared and you have another meeting at 10:30”, she informed me. She always makes sure to inform me about every meeting thirty minutes to the time.
She called me earlier to remind me about the meeting with Arabel even though I knew and I was already looking forward to it.
I had her cancel all my early appointments today just so I could get myself mentally ready to meet my ex-wife again.
We get to the door and she opens for me. When I enter, I turn my wrist to check the time and it is exactly 10 am.
Before I can sit, the door opens again and Arabel walks in alone. She flashes a beautiful smile at Ashley and Ashley does the same, waving at her, making me wonder what is going on between the two of them.
Arabel is wearing a beautiful leather skirt with a black shiny jacket. Her hair is packed in a bun and her make-up is out of the world. She looks stunning.
I don't realize I am gawking until she clears her throat and Ashley slams the door shut. Jerking back to life, I look down to hide my embarrassment for being caught gaping.
Arabel sits down quietly and Ashley moves close to me with the contracts. I stretch my hand to have them and she raises her eyebrows in confusion.
“Let me have them and excuse us for a minute”, I instruct calmly, making sure not to sound too authoritative.
Not just to please Arabel but also to show her how much I have changed in the four years since she left. I am no longer that cold man she hates for throwing her out with a divorce when she least expected it.
Her moving away changed me. My mindset. My habits. My world.
Coupled with Eve's betrayal, I was a broken man that needed mending. I tried everything I could to stop myself from becoming depressed but nothing worked.
My work suffered and my mom kept blaming me for letting Arabel go. She was sick for two months and I was miserable thinking she would die. I wouldn't have forgiven myself if she had died.
It makes me wonder how she would feel now if she knew about Arabel's arrival back in the States. She would be glad.
Ashley spares Arabel a glance before nodding and dropping the contracts. Arabel bites down on her lower lips with her head down. As soon as Ashley is out of the room, I pick up the contract, bring both copies out and drop my copy on the table before passing her copy to her.
She takes it without staring me straight in the eyes.
She was so confident yesterday about keeping up with the pretence. Why is she finding it hard today?
Before the contract signing, there are some rudimentary discussions we need to talk about which involve Ashley's presence as my secretary.
So I decide it is time to spill. Ask her the very first question I have in mind before Ashley comes back in for the contract signing.
“Isn't it time for us to quit with the pretence, Arabel?” I ask quickly, glad the word is out already as I stare hard at her, waiting for an answer.
Slowly, she raises her head and gazes up at me. Our eyes meet and I see a flash of hurt and anger but they disappear quickly as soon as they come.